A new cerebroside and bioactive compounds from Celtis adolphi-friderici Engl. (Cannabaceae)

Abstract A phytochemical investigation of the roots of Celtis adolphi-friderici Engl. led to the isolation of a previously undescribed cerebroside named, eloundemnoside (1), alongside with seventeen known compounds (2–18). Their chemical structures were elucidated based on the analysis of their NMR and MS data. All the compounds were isolated from this specie for the first time, while eight known compounds (4–5, 12–13, 15–18) are obtained from the genus Celtis for the first time. The isolates were screened for their antioxidant, lipoxygenase, urease, and butyrylcholinesterase enzyme inhibitory activities. Compounds 4, 7 and 12 showed good antioxidant activities with IC50 values of 22.2, 29.3, and 13.2 μM, respectively. In addition, azelaic acid (12) showed the best lipoxygenase inhibition (IC50 value of 16.3 μM), while friedelin (2) exhibited the highest inhibition of urease with an IC50 value of 15.3 μM. However, all the compounds tested had moderate butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory properties. The chemophenetic relationship of the isolates and their significance were discussed.